Doctors for the Environment Australia (DEA) is an organisation of medical professionals in Australia solely focused on protecting health through care of the environment.
DEA is composed of GPs, surgeons, physicians, anaesthetists, psychiatrists, paediatricians, public health specialists, academics, medical students and researchers. DEA brings together an extraordinary level of leadership and expertise drawn from every branch of medicine.
All its members are volunteers who strongly support the objectives of DEA. Since forming in 2001, DEA has been guided by our vision ‘Healthy Planet, Healthy People’. DEA uses compelling scientific evidence to demonstrate the important health benefits of clean air and water, biodiverse natural places, stable climates and sustainable health care systems.
Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Employees of Rosneft enterprises held a large-scale environmental campaign in Samara and Saratov as part of the Volga Day. Volunteers cleared more than 140 thousand square meters of the coastline of the great Russian river from garbage, collected and removed 50 cubic meters of household and current-borne garbage.
During the campaign, employees of Samaraneftegaz, Kuibyshevsky, Novokuibyshevsky and Saratovsky Oil Refineries, Novokuibyshevsky Petrochemical Company, Novokuibyshevsky Oil and Additives Plant also improved coastal areas in recreation areas of Samara and Saratov.
Environmental volunteering is an integral part of the corporate culture of Rosneft subsidiaries. For several years, volunteer campaigns to collect plastic caps, waste paper, batteries and other environmental initiatives have been held at the enterprises of the Samara Group.
Preservation of water resources is a significant area of Rosneft’s activities in the field of environmental protection. The Company’s subsidiaries pay great attention to measures aimed at improving the efficiency of wastewater treatment, developing a water recycling system, and rational use and restoration of water resources.
Samaraneftegaz is implementing a comprehensive program to preserve natural resources. The company has completely stopped taking water from surface water bodies to maintain reservoir pressure; only recycled water is used in production.
The Kuibyshev Oil Refinery is implementing projects to modernize production, including the plant’s treatment facilities. Thanks to the reconstruction of the recycling water supply units, water intake and water pipelines, the share of recycled water in the enterprise’s water supply reached 91.5% by 2024.
Over the past five years, the Novokuibyshevsk Oil Refinery has reduced its wastewater volume by 45%. Thanks to the membrane bioreactor at the treatment facilities, the plant increased its use of recycled water to 96% and reduced its intake of river water by 10.6% during the year.
The Saratov Oil Refinery is also actively working to reduce water consumption: over the past five years, the plant has reduced its intake of natural water by 57.3%. The Syzran Oil Refinery is systematically reducing its intake of water from natural sources for production purposes. The share of recycled water at the enterprise by the end of 2024 was 95.6%. At the Novokuibyshevsk Oil and Additives Plant, thanks to the construction and commissioning of recycled water supply units, the share of recycled water supply increased to 95%.
Rosneft subsidiaries systematically work to replenish aquatic bioresources in the Volga basin. In 2024, the Company’s Samara enterprises released more than 430 thousand fish fry, including valuable sterlet, into the Volga waters.
The effectiveness of the environmental policy of Rosneft enterprises in the Volga Federal District has been repeatedly noted at regional and all-Russian competitions. For many years, the enterprises have become winners of the competition “Leader of Environmental Activities in Russia”.
Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft May 23, 2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) organised the inaugural meeting of the Waste Shipment Enforcement Group (WSEG) on 22-23 May in Warsaw, Poland. The event brought together over 50 stakeholders from across the EU and beyond – including environmental, customs and police authorities, carriers and judicial authorities – in a joint effort to thwart the growing threat of illicit trade of waste.
The discussion in Warsaw, held with the support of the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection of Poland, focused on the latest trends, international flows of illicit trade, strengthening inspections and enforcement measures as well as the use of IT tools to collect information and alert partners. Participants shared practical experience from inspections, outlined common challenges and analysed the modus operandi detected in the illicit trade of waste.
Illegal shipments of waste pose a serious risk to the public health, legitimate businesses and global security. Hazardous or improperly managed waste can contaminate the soil, water and air and its unchecked movement across borders undermines EU’s transition toward greener, more sustainable economy. Furthermore, waste trafficking distorts fair competition and burdens compliant businesses.
Ernesto Bianchi, OLAF’s Director for Revenue and international Operations – Investigations and Strategy, welcomed the group’s launch by saying: “The Waste Shipment Enforcement Group is a practical platform for action, dialogue and cooperation. OLAF is proud to support this effort, helping to turn shared intelligence into concrete investigations.”
The Waste Shipment Enforcement Group was set up by the recently adopted Regulation on waste shipments with a mandate to improve enforcement and operational cooperation within the EU and with third countries. The regulation empowers OLAF to support Member States in uncovering and investigating illegal waste shipments and to coordinate joint actions.
Speaking on OLAF’s wider role, the Director-General of OLAF Ville Itälä said: “Environmental crime knows no borders. Waste trafficking harms our environment, our health and our economy – and it undermines the rules that protect European citizens. By supporting this enforcement group, OLAF aims to unite operational minds to turn information into action and stop this crime at its source.”
Background
OLAF exchanges real-time information on suspicious waste shipments with customs and environmental authorities of EU countries of origin and non-EU countries of destination. OLAF monitors both the original shipments and the returns of refused containers to make sure they are not diverted on their way back to the EU source country.
OLAF mission, mandate and competences: OLAF’s mission is to detect, investigate and stop fraud with EU funds.
OLAF fulfils its mission by: • carrying out independent investigations into fraud and corruption involving EU funds, so as to ensure that all EU taxpayers’ money reaches projects that can create jobs and growth in Europe; • contributing to strengthening citizens’ trust in the EU Institutions by investigating serious misconduct by EU staff and members of the EU Institutions; • developing a sound EU anti-fraud policy.
In its independent investigative function, OLAF can investigate matters relating to fraud, corruption and other offences affecting the EU financial interests concerning: • all EU expenditure: the main spending categories are Structural Funds, agricultural policy and rural development funds, direct expenditure and external aid; • some areas of EU revenue, mainly customs duties; • suspicions of serious misconduct by EU staff and members of the EU institutions.
Once OLAF has completed its investigation, it is for the competent EU and national authorities to examine and decide on the follow-up of OLAF’s recommendations. All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a competent national or EU court of law.
For further details:
Pierluigi CATERINO Spokesperson European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) Phone: +32(0)2 29-52335 Email: olaf-mediaec [dot] europa [dot] eu(olaf-media[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) https://anti-fraud.ec.europa.eu LinkedIn: European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) Bluesky: euantifraud.bsky.social
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For 40 years, I’ve worked as a marine ecologist and, since 1992, I’ve been based in Plymouth, Devon – a global hub for coastal marine research and teaching. As I think back to how our understanding of life in our oceans has changed over that time, here are five lessons I have learnt.
1. Start with the basics
Back in the 1970s, the band America wrote: “The ocean is a desert with its life underground, and the perfect disguise above”. Many people I speak to actually don’t see much beyond that grey-blue surface.
Back in 2014 my colleagues and I were quite shocked at the response to a big survey we did on public perception of the marine environment in the UK, particularly when we break out of our marine bubbles. If an organism was remotely colourful or interesting, most people assumed it didn’t live in UK waters.
That reminded me not to underestimate how little most people know, or care, about UK seas. Make no assumptions.
While Blue Planet and other beautiful TV series have undoubtedly helped raise the profile of the world’s seas, some have potentially reinforced this view of local waters – that you have to travel to far-off exotic locations to find any interesting and spectacular life.
2. Inspire deep connection
Research shows the almost unparalleled restorative power of being in, on, under or by the sea. You do not need to dive to feel a strong ocean connection – building sandcastles, catching crabs on a line in a harbour, skimming stones or letting the cold water wash over your feet can work wonders.
Rockpooling is also an incredible window into the underwater world – suddenly all this weird and wonderful life opens up to us in a small, simple and accessible puddle.
People need to be given more opportunities to form lasting connections with the ocean. Organisations such as Plymouth’s Ocean Conservation Trust and Devon Wildlife Trust are bringing young people to the sea, sometimes for the first time.
Enabling ocean connection is just as important for people who don’t have the chance or ability to physically be there, for example through virtual reality. I’ve also been involved in transforming Plymouth Sound into the UK’s first national marine park – this concept is all about engaging people with this stretch of coastline, getting them connected to the ocean and inspiring them to care. And the marine park model could be replicated around the UK.
Local science, global stories.
This article is part of a series, Secrets of the Sea, exploring how marine scientists are developing climate solutions.
In collaboration with the BBC, Anna Turns travels around the West Country coastline to meet ocean experts making exciting discoveries beneath the waves.
3. Take the pressure off
If you leave the ocean alone, it can recover. Very few shallow areas of our global ocean remain untouched. But, as demonstrated so well in David Attenborough’s latest film, Ocean, if you remove all the most damaging impacts (particularly physical fishing damage), then the sea has great powers of recovery.
In the UK, bluefin tuna and humpback whales have returned as the pressure to hunt them has been better managed. The cold water reefs on the seabed in Lyme Bay off the south coast of England have recovered remarkably just four years after a ban on towed fishing gear was introduced.
Today, there are so few properly protected areas where all damaging or extractive activities are completely removed to give nature a chance, particularly in the UK. Some habitats may need a bit of help from us – active restoration or replanting of seagrass beds and oyster reefs will help kickstart regrowth.
What is seagrass? The Ocean Conservation Trust explains.
4. Plastic is a distraction
The flow of plastics into the ocean must certainly be stopped. But I worry that the plastic pollution problem is a bandwagon that so many businesses, media outlets and governments have jumped on. Has a decade-long focus on “solving” the plastic crisis been a troublesome distraction? Banning single-use straws can seem like an easy win because leaders can be seen to be taking action – but it does little to solve the ocean’s biggest problems.
Meanwhile, the most complex and hard to resolve activities that seriously harm our seas, such as industrial overfishing, are still not being dealt with. The most damaging fishing practices such as trawling and dredging continue legally, astonishingly even within designated marine protected areas. Such highly damaging activities have no place near sensitive habitats and this has been so well demonstrated in Ocean.
The recent UK ban on sandeel fishing gives me hope. This landmark decision was made to benefit nature (protecting food supply for seabirds), restricting a fishery that does not even supply food for humans. Sandeels are used to make fishmeal and fish oil to feed farmed fish and livestock.
Yet, damaging fishing practices such as trawling and dredging continue legally, even within designated marine protected areas. Such highly damaging activities have no place near sensitive habitats.
I firmly believe that the most effective and straightforward solution for the UK is to prohibit all towed fishing gear from within at least three miles of the coast – including developing a series of fully protected marine reserves.
In Lyme Bay, this approach has led to a real win-win because the seas are now recovering, and local fishers, holidaymakers and coastal communities are benefiting too.
Rising eco-anxiety, particularly in younger people, is not surprising given the state of the world. Faced with the nature and climate crisis, it is easy to feel utter despair.
Climate change will undoubtedly change our planet. Yet, without oceans absorbing most of the carbon (while producing half the oxygen we breathe), this planet would already be uninhabitable for human civilisation. Making our oceans as healthy and resilient as possible is therefore crucial.
Right now, we need some ocean optimism. Sharing the stories of progress and innovation that show how patches of the sea are recovering can demonstrate what’s possible and inspire further positive action. By showcasing areas now rich with diverse marine life now that industrial-scale damage has been stopped or whale populations that are booming now that harpoons are a thing of the past, a vision for a better, bluer future can become reality at scale.
Listen to episode one of Secrets of the Sea here on BBC Sounds, presented by Anna Turns for The Conversation.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Martin Attrill receives and has received funding from a series of government, NGO and private sector bodies, all of which is directed to the University of Plymouth, not personally. Current and recent funding includes from UK Government (NEIRF), Heritage Lottery Fund, Natural Environmental Research Council, EU INTERREG and ERDF. He is affiliated with Ocean Conservation Trust (Chief Scientific Advisor) and a trustee of the Manta Trust.
The Leader of Portsmouth City Council, Cllr Steve Pitt, has written a letter to the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner, to complain in the strongest possible terms about her treatment of the Council in regard to the future direction of Tipner West and Horsea Island East in the emerging Portsmouth Local Plan.
His letter is in response to two letters from the Secretary of State. In the first letter dated 28 February 2025, the Secretary of State gave her opinion that Imperative Reasons of Overriding Public Interest (IROPI) for limited development at Tipner West had not been proved by the Council. This opinion was challenged by the Council in a Pre-Action Protocol letter sent on 10 March 2025 which stated that the opinion was unlawful on three grounds:
The Secretary of State misdirected herself in law by applying the wrong test to circumstances where no priority habitats or species are likely to be affected.
The Secretary of State failed to give adequate reasons for her opinion that each of the grounds relied on by the Council, individually and cumulatively, did not constitute IROPI.
The Secretary of State’s opinion was irrational because it was based on flawed reasoning and failed to have regard to obviously material considerations.
The second letter sent on 9 May 2025 by the Secretary of State, withdrew the IROPI opinion. This letter states that she does not accept the premise of the first ground and does not consider that she misdirected herself in law. However, she does agree to withdraw the IROPI opinion based on grounds 2 and 3.
The letter confirms that the original opinion has been formally withdrawn and so cannot be subject to a judicial review. It also states that the matter is being re-considered by the Secretary of State with the intention of providing details of how to proceed as soon as possible.
In his letter, Cllr Pitt states that the Council wants to move forward with its Local Plan including Tipner West which works for both people and nature.
Cllr Pitt adds :
“We have been forced to write this letter to the Secretary of State as we cannot move forward with any proposals for Tipner West, and finalise our Local Plan, until we have clarity from the Government.
“The longer that this goes on, means a longer wait for much needed homes and jobs for local people, along with the sea defences to protect the wider area. I would urge the Government to meet with us as soon as possible so we can settle this matter and move forward constructively”
The Leader of Portsmouth City Council also says in his letter that the Council wants to move forward on delivering the City Deal which was made with the Government in 2013 to create the new jobs and homes required for one of the most deprived areas of the country. He asks to meet the Secretary of State as a matter of urgency to discuss these matters
Cllr Pitt reiterated that Portsmouth City Council continues to work closely with Natural England and the Environment Agency, alongside the RSPB and the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust to find a solution for the site that works for both people and nature.
The Portsmouth Local Plan is the statutory development plan that will guide development in the city up to 2040. This Plan allocates sites for development, sets targets for new homes and jobs. It also introduces city wide policies on design, greening and the climate emergency.
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Zackery Brandon Barfield, 31, of Panama City, Florida, was sentenced to 30 days’ imprisonment and ordered to pay a $51,000 fine for three counts of poisoning and shooting dolphins in violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. The sentence was announced by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“The Gulf of America is a vital natural resource,” said Acting United States Attorney Spaven. “The defendant’s selfish acts are more than illegally poisoning and shooting protected animals – they are serious crimes against public resources, threats to the local ecosystem, and a devastating harm to a highly intelligent and charismatic species. With our dedicated law enforcement partners, we will ensure that the coastal waters remain safe for our citizens and its wildlife.”
According to court filings and statements made in court, Barfield has been a licensed charter and commercial fishing captain in the Panama City area for his entire adult life. From 2022-2023, he poisoned and shot bottlenose dolphins on multiple occasions.
In the summer of 2022, Barfield grew frustrated with dolphins eating red snapper from the lines of his charter fishing clients. He began placing methomyl inside baitfish to poison the dolphins that surfaced near his boat. Methomyl is a highly toxic pesticide that acts on the nervous system of humans, mammals, and other animals, and is restricted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to control flies in non-residential settings. Barfield recognized methomyl’s toxicity and impact on the environment but continued to feed poisoned baitfish to the dolphins for months.
While captaining fishing trips in December 2022 and the summer of 2023, Barfield saw dolphins eating snapper from his client’s fishing lines. On both occasions, he used a 12-gauge shotgun to shoot the dolphins that surfaced near his vessel, killing one immediately. On other occasions, Barfield shot, but did not immediately kill, dolphins near his vessel. On one trip he shot a dolphin while two elementary-aged children were on board, and another with more than a dozen fisherman on board.
“Barfield was a longtime charter and commercial fishing captain,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “He knew the regulations protecting dolphins, yet he killed them anyway — once in front of children. This sentence demonstrates our commitment to enforcing the rule of law. It should deter others from engaging in such conduct.”
“These cruel and unnecessary deaths may have gone unsolved without the determination and expertise of our investigator and the close working relationship we have with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, U.S. Department of Justice’s Environmental Crimes Section and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida,” said Paige Casey, Acting Assistant Director, NOAA OLE Southeast Division. “The subject’s actions were intentional and heartless, and we’ll continue to pursue any harmful acts against marine mammals. Egregious crimes such as in this case have serious consequences.”
Barfield’s prison sentence will be followed by a 1-year term of supervised release.
“We are proud to work alongside our partner agencies to bring Zachary Barfield to justice,” said Captain Mike Godwin, FWC Investigations Northwest Region. “His actions were cruel, illegal, and a threat to the Gulf’s marine life. This case shows the power of teamwork and our shared commitment to protecting Florida’s wildlife and holding offenders accountable.”
The National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation with assistance from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The case was prosecuted by Environmental Crimes Section Senior Trial Attorney Patrick Duggan and Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Ravelo.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Public reporting of crimes is a crucial aspect of law enforcement. If you are aware of a violation of federal marine resource laws or federal pesticide laws, please contact NOAA Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964 or EPA’s National Response Center at (800) 424-8802.
WSDOT and Snohomish County will improve fish access along Sexton Creek south of Three Lakes Road
SNOHOMISH – A new project that will remove barriers to fish along Sexton Creek, a tributary to the Pilchuck River, east of Snohomish shows how important collaboration can be in reconnecting streams and keeping state waterways healthy.
The Washington State Department of Transportation and Snohomish County will begin a joint project Tuesday, May 27, to replace existing 5½-foot culverts along Sexton Creek with new structures that will allow fish to swim freely.
Contractor crews working for WSDOT will install an improved, three-sided box structure beneath US 2, while the county project will replace culverts under Sexton Road with a 29-foot-wide, steel arch culvert and remove other barriers on Sexton Creek near where it empties into the Pilchuck River.
WSDOT’s US 2/Sexton Creek to Pilchuck River Fish Passage and Snohomish County’s Sexton Road Culvert Replacement projects will restore access to the full reach of the tributary for Chinook, coho, pink and chum salmon and steelhead, sea-run cutthroat, bull and resident trout. WSDOT will oversee construction for both projects.
What to expect
Beginning Tuesday, May 27, crews will begin building a bypass road along US 2, creating a safe work zone to remove and replace the existing culvert while allowing traffic to flow. People traveling in the area also can expect:
Up to three Saturday night full closures of US 2 with detours.
Nighttime lane closures of US 2 with alternating traffic.
Traffic shifts on US 2, with one lane remaining open in each direction.
Daytime shoulder closures along US 2.
Sexton Road closed to through traffic for up to two months beginning in July.
Local access to homes along Sexton Road near the closure.
Construction is expected to finish in fall 2025.
Fish passage program
WSDOT has worked for nearly three decades to improve fish passage and open natural habitat. A 2013 federal injunction also directed WSDOT to significantly speed up efforts to replace fish barriers. The US 2 culvert along Sexton Creek is subject to the federal injunction.
Snohomish County has been improving fish passage for over 35 years, with an increased emphasis on barrier removal and improvements since 2015. The county works closely with Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife and local tribes to identify and correct barriers related to county roads.
New fish-friendly structures are larger, more resilient to change in the landscape and provide long-term fish passage. People can use the WSDOT interactive map to learn about corrected and uncorrected barriers and the injunction boundary.
Funding for the $9 million US 2 portion of the project comes from state gas tax, Connecting Washington and Move Ahead Washington accounts. Snohomish County’s portion of the project is funded by a Washington State Department of Recreation and Conservation Office Fish Barrier Removal Board grant, a Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Law grant administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Snohomish County Surface Water Management utility fees.
As we approach the summer months and recreational activities on the State’s abundant lakes, ponds and rivers increase, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) remind the public to be on the lookout for harmful algae blooms (HABs). HABs are caused by blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, which are naturally present in bodies of freshwater. Higher temperatures, slow moving water, and high amounts of nutrients cause the cyanobacteria to grow excessively and create potential for HABs. These HABs can produce toxins which can be harmful to humans and animals.
RIDOH and DEM work together to monitor and respond to HABs and issue recreational advisories when thresholds are met. During a HAB, all recreation, including swimming, fishing, boating, and kayaking should be avoided. In addition people should not drink untreated water or eat fish from affected waterbodies. Pet owners should not allow pets to drink or swim in this water. State and local officials work to post warnings around bodies of water when HABs are present. However, the public should be on the lookout for HABs and know to avoid affected waters if they encounter a HAB before warnings have been posted.
Affected waters may be bright to dark green in color and have dense, floating algal mats on the water’s surface. The water may look like green paint, thick pea soup, or green cottage cheese. If you see bodies of water that look like this, it’s best for people and pets to avoid contact with the water.
Skin contact with water containing blue-green algae can cause irritation of the skin, nose, eyes, and throat. Symptoms can include stomachache, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. Less common symptoms can include dizziness, headache, fever, liver damage, and nervous system damage. Young children and pets are at higher risk for health effects associated with HABs because they are more likely to swallow water when they are in or around bodies of water.
If you come into contact with a HAB, rinse your skin with clean water as soon as possible and, when you get home, take a shower and wash your clothes. If your pet comes into contact with the water, immediately wash your pet with clean water and do not let the pet lick algae off its fur. Call a veterinarian if your pet shows any symptoms of blue-green algae poisoning, including loss of energy, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, or any unexplained sickness that occurs within a day or so after being in contact with a HAB. People who have had contact with a HAB and have any of the symptoms described above should call a healthcare professional.
To report suspected blue-green algae blooms, contact DEM’s Office of Water Resources at 401-222-4700 or DEM.OWRCyano@dem.ri.gov and if possible, send a photograph of the reported algae bloom.
CINCINNATI – Two individuals were charged this week for their involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.
Nicholas T. Dryden, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Giancarlo Morelli, of New Jersey, were charged with conspiracy to create and distribute so-called “animal crush videos,” and with distributing animal crush videos. Dryden is also charged with the creation of animal crush videos, as well as with production, distribution and receipt of a visual depiction of the sexual abuse of children because a minor was paid to abuse the monkeys.
According to court documents, in March and April 2023, the two co-defendants allegedly conspired to create and distribute videos depicting acts of sadistic violence against baby, adolescent and adult monkeys. The conspirators allegedly funneled money through Dryden, who then paid the minor in Indonesia to commit the requested acts on camera.
The videos alleged to have been created as part of the conspiracy included depictions of monkeys having their genitals burned, having their genitals cut with scissors, being sodomized with a wooden skewer and being sodomized with a spoon.
The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, the charges related to the creation and distribution of animal crush videos each carry a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and the charges of producing and distributing depictions of the sexual abuse of children each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made the announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case.
Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Oakley for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ronald P. Bedra, of Etna, pleaded guilty to conspiring to create and distribute “animal crush” videos.
According to court documents, Bedra conspired with others to create and distribute the videos that depicted acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys, including having digits and limbs severed and being forcibly sodomized with a heated screwdriver.
The conspirators used encrypted chat apps to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to commit the requested acts of torture on camera. Bedra also mailed a thumb drive containing 64 videos of monkey torture to a co-conspirator in Wisconsin.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) and U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made today’s announcement.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Mark Romley and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Pakiz for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Leeds man arrested in recycling fraud investigation
Environment Agency and Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Organised Crime Unit apprehend a 34-year-old man in Leeds
A Leeds local has been arrested for conspiracy to commit money laundering, as part of an active Environment Agency investigation into illegal recycling export paperwork.
In a joint raid earlier this week (Wednesday 21 May), Environment Agency officers worked with the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Organised Crime Unit to apprehend a 34-year-old man at a property in Leeds.
After being interviewed, the suspect has been released pending ongoing investigations and evidence gathered during the arrest will support action going forward.
The arrest forms a crucial part of an ongoing investigation by the Environment Agency and Joint Unit for Waste Crime into fraud, money laundering and offences under the producer responsibility regulations. This now brings the total number of arrests to seven, after four individuals across Leeds, Doncaster and Calderdale were arrested in April last year, and two others being arrested in 2023.
Emma Viner, Enforcement and Investigations Manager at the Environment Agency, said:
We are calling time on fraud in the recycling sector, which undermines hard-working businesses and trashes our natural environment.
Our teams are thoroughly examining all the evidence gathered in the raid to further progress the investigation and help put an end to this unacceptable, organised criminal activity.
The Packaging Producer Responsibility Regulations were introduced to oblige the producers of waste packaging made from materials such as plastic, glass and cardboard to contribute towards the financial cost of recycling and disposing the waste.
Businesses that meet the criteria are required to prove they have made a financial contribution by purchasing credits, known as Packaging Export Recovery Notes, from waste reprocessors or exporters. However, the credits have a monetary value which means organised criminal gangs can look to infiltrate the sector and engage in high value fraud and money laundering.
In 2024, the Environment Agency launched a new Economic Crime Unit to boost its efforts to tackle money laundering and carry out financial investigations in the waste sector. This arrest marks another vital step in the unit’s work to ensure those working in waste management do the right thing and waste criminals are rooted out of the sector.
If a member of the public has any information that may assist with this investigation, they should call the Environment Agency’s 24-hour hotline on 0800 807060. They can also report it anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or the Crimestoppers website.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
EA prosecutes father and son for assaulting fisheries officers
A father and son who assaulted 2 Environment Agency water bailiffs at a Shropshire fishery have been ordered to pay fines and costs totalling more than £12,000.
An Environment Agency bailiff being assaulted.
Defendants ordered to pay fines and costs totalling over £12,000
Water bailiffs struck in the face and poked in the eye at Shropshire fishery near Bridgnorth
Police called to incident after defendants refused to co-operate
Fines and costs totalling £6,937.00 were imposed on Andrew Bowman, 44 , of Cross Place Dudley.
This was made up of a £488 fine for assault, £146 for fishing without a licence, a victim surcharge of £253 and costs of £6,000. He was also ordered to pay £50 compensation to one of the water bailiffs he assaulted.
He had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to assaulting the officers at Poole Hall Fishery on 6 September 2023. This case was heard by Telford Magistrates court on April 25 2025.
His father, Sidney Bowman, 75, also of Cross Place Dudley, had admitted similar charges in a hearing on 3 October 2024.
He was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £5,128. This was made up of a £660 fine for assault, £146 for fishing without a licence, a victim’s surcharge of £322 and costs of £4,000.
Environment Agency water bailiffs are deemed to be constables for the purposes of enforcing fisheries legislation and are also protected under the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018.
The court was told that the pair were fishing when approached by the 2 bailiffs who were checking fishing licences.
Andrew Bowman refused to give the officers his details and advised his father not to do so as well. Failing to provide name and address details, when requested by a water bailiff, is an offence.
After the officers cautioned Andrew Bowman for not providing his details, he became verbally and physically threatening and began to move his equipment.
The officers fearing for their safety moved a fishing knife away from the defendants. Andrew Bowman then assaulted one officer by striking him in the face after the bailiffs said they were removing their fishing gear for evidence.
This was followed by Sidney Bowman also assaulting the officer by attempting to grab his chest, where the officer’s radio was, and in doing so poked him in the eye with flailing arms.
The court was told as the incident continued Andrew Bowman had to be taken to the ground after he refused to allow the officers to put handcuffs on him.
Andrew Bowman gave the officers incorrect details, stating he was called David Wilkes and a wrong address.
The incident ended with police attendance resulting in Andrew and Sidney Bowman providing their correct details.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said:
These sentences handed out show that the courts will not allow assault of public servants to go unpunished.
It sends out a strong message to other people trying to stop our officers from performing their duties.
Our officers do endure abuse and threats of violence in carrying out important work to protect people and the environment.
The Environment Agency will not hesitate to prosecute those that obstruct or assault its staff.
If people suspect illegal fishing incidents they should call our 24/7 hotline on 0800 807060.
Background
The charges:
Andrew Bowman
On the 6 September 2023, assaulted an emergency worker, namely a person (other than a constable) who has the powers of a constable, acting in the exercise of his functions as such a worker, by beating him. Contrary to section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and Section 1 of the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018.
On 6 September 2023, assaulted an emergency worker, namely a person (other than a constable) who has the powers of a constable, acting in the exercise of his functions as such a worker. Contrary to section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and Section 1 of the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018.
On 6 September 2023, obstructed a Water Bailiff, a constable in the execution of his duty. Contrary to Section 89(2) of the Police Act 1996.
On 6 September 2023, obstructed a Water Bailiff, a constable in the execution of his duty. Contrary to Section 89(2) of the Police Act 1996.
On 6 September 2023, at Poole Hall Fisheries, Alverley, in a place where fishing is regulated, was fishing and he was not entitled to do so by virtue of a fishing licence. Contrary to section 27(1)(a)(i) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.
Sidney Bowman
On 6 September 2023, assaulted an emergency worker, namely a person (other than a constable) who has the powers of a constable, acting in the exercise of his functions as such a worker, by beating him. Contrary to section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and Section 1 of the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018.
On 6 September 2023, assaulted an emergency worker, namely a person (other than a constable) who has the powers of a constable, acting in the exercise of his functions as such a worker. Contrary to section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and Section 1 of the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018.
On 6th September 2023, in a place where fishing is regulated, was fishing and he was not entitled to do so by virtue of a fishing licence. Contrary to section 27(1)(a)(i) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) — Beijing has a rich ecological landscape with 7,121 species in 151 natural and semi-natural ecosystems, according to the city’s first-ever white paper on biodiversity.
These figures, based on field studies conducted between 2020 and 2024, show that Beijing is one of the most biodiverse megacities in the world and highlight the city’s authorities’ significant achievements in preserving biodiversity in the capital.
The white paper, released on Thursday, was jointly published by the Beijing Ecology and Environment Administration, the Beijing Planning and Resources Commission, the Beijing Agriculture and Rural Affairs Administration and the Beijing Gardening and Greening Administration.
According to Liu Xianshu, deputy head of the city’s ecology and environment bureau, the field survey recorded 151 types of natural and semi-natural ecosystems, including forests, shrublands, grasslands, marshes and aquatic vegetation.
The 7,121 species recorded are represented by groups such as algae, higher plants, vertebrates, insects, large fungi and large benthic invertebrates, she added. -0-
Kyle Offringa and Highway and Heavy Parts, LLC Admit to Conspiring with Heavy-Duty Diesel Truck Operators to Tamper with Emissions-Control Monitoring Devices
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kyle Offringa, age 33, of Caledonia, Michigan, and Highway and Heavy Parts, LLC (“HHP”), a heavy-duty diesel parts supplier headquartered in Coleman, Michigan, recently pled guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act (“CAA”). United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Tyler Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”)’s Criminal Investigations Division (“CID”), Northeast Area Branch, made the announcement. Offringa pled guilty to the indictment today and HHP pled guilty to the indictment last month.
Offringa and HHP were indicted by a grand jury in the Northern District of New York earlier this year. As alleged in the indictment, the purpose of the CAA is, among other things, “to protect and enhance the quality of the Nation’s air resources so as to promote the public health and welfare and the productive capacity of its population.” Pursuant to the CAA, the EPA enacted regulations that required heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturers to limit emissions on those engines. To comply with these regulations, manufacturers install hardware components, including filters, exhaust recirculation systems, and exhaust aftertreatment systems. Heavy-duty diesel trucks are also required under the CAA to maintain an onboard-diagnostic system (“OBD”), which monitors the functionality of the hardware emissions control components. If the OBD detects that an emissions control component is not working, or has been removed, it will ultimately put the truck into what is known as “limp mode,” which limits the top speed to as low as 5 miles per hour. This is designed to incentivize truck operators to repair any faulty components.
As further alleged in the indictment, truck operators deleted the emissions control hardware on their heavy-duty diesel trucks, which significantly increased pollution emitted by those trucks but allowed them to run at higher horsepower, with greater fuel efficiency, and with reduced maintenance cost.
As part of their pleas, Offringa and HHP admitted that between at least June 2017 and March 2019, they conspired together and with HHP’s customers, including coconspirators DAIM Logistics, Inc. and Patrick Oare of Fultonville, New York, to tamper with (“tune”) the emission control monitoring devices and systems of numerous diesel vehicles. As part of the conspiracy, HHP referred its customers who had removed emissions hardware on their heavy-duty diesel trucks to Offringa, who then reprogrammed the OBDs to bypass the CAA monitoring functions so the trucks would remain operational in exchange for a fee of $1,000 to $1,500 per OBD. HHP charged its customers approximately $250 for each tune performed by Offringa on top of what Offringa charged.
HHP is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2024, and Offringa is scheduled to be sentenced on January 17, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino in Albany. If HHP’s plea agreement is accepted, it will be required to pay a fine of $25,000. Offringa has agreed to pay a fine of $100,000 and also faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a term of supervised release of up to three years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Coconspirators Patrick Oare and DAIM Logistics, Inc., of Fultonville, New York, previously pled guilty to violating the CAA and are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino in Albany on October 23, 2024.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigations Division (EPA CID) is investigating the case, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting the case.
RIVERSIDE, California – Four Inland Empire residents have been arrested on a federal criminal complaint alleging they organized and ran cockfighting events in San Bernardino County.
The following defendants, who were arrested Sunday at a cockfighting event, are charged with aiding, abetting, inducing, and willfully causing another person to sponsor and exhibit an animal in an animal fighting venture and are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside:
Isidro Chaparro Sanchez, 59, of Corona;
Luis Octavio Angulo, 61, of Rialto;
Sergio Jimenez Maldonado, 51, of San Bernardino; and
Eva Anilu Pastor Uriostegui, 53, of Moreno Valley.
Law enforcement is looking for Cirilo Esquivel Alcantar, 56, of San Bernardino, who also is charged in this case.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, the defendants organized and facilitated cockfighting events in Muscoy. The defendants held events on Sundays during the cockfighting “season,” which generally runs from January to August. Individuals brought roosters to fight (i.e., cockfighters) and spectators attended the events, which at times drew more than 100 attendees.
Attendees parked – at the cost of $20 – at a different location nearly one mile away from the event location. Attendees were then shuttled to the cockfighting location, where they paid another fee – usually $40 – to enter the arena where the cockfights took place. Attendees could also place bets on the cockfights and participate in a raffle.
Cockfighters paid a fee to enter their roosters into fights – $1,000 for four roosters – and then entered the fighting arena with their roosters when it is their turn to fight. Several cockfights took place on a given day. Before the fights, a sharp blade, known as a “gaff” and usually curved and approximately 1.5 inches in length, was often attached to each rooster’s leg. At times, the fights ended in the death of one or both roosters.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, the defendants would each face a statutory maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Cory L. Burleson of the Riverside Branch Office and Dennis Mitchell of the Environmental Crimes and Consumer Protection Section are prosecuting this case.
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (“the Subcommittee”), sent letters to 28 former Biden Cabinet members regarding their knowledge of President Biden’s cognitive and health decline during his time in office and while running for reelection. Chairman Johnson requested that these former public officials appear voluntarily before the Subcommittee for interviews by June 6, 2025.
A recent book detailing the former president’s cognitive and health decline while in office revealed that members of President Biden’s inner circle were alarmed by the state of his health. One Cabinet secretary was reportedly left “upset and disturbed” after meeting with President Biden due to his “mumbly and incoherent” speech. As the chairman’s letter noted, the reported behind-the-scenes concerns stand in stark contrast to Cabinet officials’ public statements portraying the former president as healthy and mentally sharp.
“The discrepancy between what Cabinet officials were telling the public about the former president’s health and what they were apparently witnessing and saying privately is astonishing, particularly considering that the former president was seeking reelection. After years of being lied to and kept in the dark, the public deserves full and complete transparency about what was known and when concerning President Biden’s health,” Chairman Johnson wrote.
The letters went out to the following former Biden Cabinet-level members:
Lloyd Austin, former Secretary of Defense;
Xavier Becerra, former Secretary of Health and Human Services;
Jared Bernstein, former Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers;
Antony Blinken, former Secretary of State;
William J. Burns, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency;
Pete Buttigieg, former Secretary of Transportation;
Miguel Cardona, former Secretary of Education;
Marcia Fudge, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
Merrick Garland, former Attorney General;
Jennifer Granholm, former Secretary of Energy;
Isabel Guzman, former Administrator of the Small Business Administration;
Deb Haaland, former Secretary of the Interior;
Avril Haines, former Director of National Intelligence;
Kamala Harris, former Vice President;
Ronald Klain, former White House Chief of Staff;
Alejandro Mayorkas, former Secretary of Homeland Security;
Denis McDonough, former Secretary of Veterans Affairs;
Arati Prabhakar, former Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy;
Gina Raimondo, former Secretary of Commerce;
Michael Regan, former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency;
Julie Su, former Acting Secretary of Labor;
Katherine Tai, former United States Trade Representative;
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations;
Adrianne Todman, former Acting Secretary of Housing and Urban Development;
Tom Vilsack, former Secretary of Agriculture;
Janet Yellen, former Secretary of the Treasury;
Shalanda Young, former Director of the Office of Management and Budget; and
Jeff Zients, former White House Chief of Staff.
The letters from Chairman Johnson can be found here.
Read more about the chairman’s letters here: Axios, Fox News, and Washington Examiner.
New method will evaluate wider disruption caused by offshore wind farm construction
A recently published study from the University of Aberdeen has revealed a new approach to evaluating the ecological impacts of offshore activities.
By integrating a dynamic ecosystem model with a comprehensive ecosystem services database the team, which includes researchers from the Plymouth Marine Laboratory, aim to accurately forecast the environmental consequences of fisheries displacement and broader ecosystem-level changes resulting from offshore wind farm development.
The scientists says that this new methodology will have the ability to support marine spatial planners to balance and minimise conflicts and tensions amongst existing and future planned marine uses of natural resources.
The proposed methodology also provides an approach to integrating the relative value of Marine Net Gain (i.e a conservation approach that ensures human activities in marine environments result in a measurable net positive impact on biodiversity) interventions in terms of wider Natural Capital Accounting. This will further progress understanding of ecosystem services and market-based approaches which will enable stakeholders to access and compare global studies on the environmental and socio-economic outcomes of offshore wind farm developments.
In the race to achieve Net Zero, it is essential to ensure that we do not inadvertently create new environmental challenges.” Dr Neda Trifonova
Dr Neda Trifonova from the University of Aberdeen and lead author of the study said: “The rapid expansion of offshore wind farms is a key component of global decarbonisation efforts. However, in the race to achieve Net Zero, it is essential to ensure that we do not inadvertently create new environmental challenges. Our study presents a methodological roadmap designed to support sustainable and evidence-based marine management and offshore renewable energy policies.
“Given the dual pressures of climate change and spatial conflicts with existing industries such as fishing, our approach aims to enhance decision-making by balancing environmental and socio-economic trade-offs. We propose the use of dynamic ecosystem modelling to inform a risk assessment framework, supported by a comprehensive ecosystem services database.
“At the heart of our methodology is supporting a nature-positive approach—a conservation principle that ensures human activities in marine environments result in a measurable net gain for biodiversity and ecosystem services.”
This project was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and The Crown Estate (TCE), part of the ECOWind Programme, as well as the UK Energy Research Centre. The study is published in BES Ecological Solutions and Evidence.
A commission led by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday issued a report that said processed food, chemicals, stress and overprescription of medications and vaccines may be factors behind chronic illness in American children.
The report, from the commission named after the Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, social movement aligned with Kennedy, is focused on what he says is a national crisis of increasing rates of childhood obesity, diabetes, cancer, mental health disorders, allergies and neurodevelopmental conditions like autism.
“MAHA is hot,” President Donald Trump said during a press event. “We will not allow our public health system to be captured by the very industries it’s supposed to oversee.”
Kennedy said there was consensus among the commission’s members to prioritize what he called the ultra-processed food crisis and to work to improve the food American children eat.
The report also highlighted studies linking health disorders in humans and animals to the weed killers glyphosate and atrazine, but did not call for specific regulatory changes or restrictions on pesticides used in farming. It said the chemicals should be further researched.
It criticized the U.S. approach to vaccines in children, saying European children are recommended to receive fewer. He called for study of the impact of vaccines on childhood chronic disease and of vaccine injuries.
Kennedy, a longtime vaccine skeptic, has for many years pushed debunked theories about the safety of vaccines contrary to scientific evidence. As head of the agency, he has overseen cuts of about 20,000 of 80,000 employees due to layoffs and departures.
Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a food and health watchdog, said the report recycles longtime concerns of Kennedy, from vaccines to seed oils.
“To the extent that they come up with good ideas, they’re going to run into the self-inflicted wound of their own decimation of the federal workforce. Many of their better ideas will not be doable,” Lurie said.
Many of the MAHA activists that surround Kennedy were present in Washington for the release of the report, which they largely applauded as a vindication of their work.
But, one such activist, Kelly Ryerson, who campaigns against the use of glyphosate-based pesticides, called the report “very cautious on the subject of pesticides,” adding that she’d like to see more Environmental Protection Agency action on the topic.
Bayer BAYGn.DE, which is involved in thousands of lawsuits surrounding its glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup, said some details around pesticides in the report were not “fact based.”
“We believe a fact and data-driven approach with robust science that follows international gold standards is necessary to support these important initiatives,” Bayer said.
As an environmental lawyer, Kennedy was associated with three lawsuits related to Roundup, which is owned by Bayer after its acquisition of Monsanto.
ULTRAPROCESSED FOOD
The food industry has said that additives in packaged food have been thoroughly reviewed by regulators and help it remain shelf stable.
The American Soybean Association was critical of the report, which they said was “drafted entirely behind closed doors” and inaccurately suggests that pesticides and soy oils contribute to negative health outcomes.
“We’re discouraging people from consuming heart-healthy oils and driving them to instead use fats that will make them less healthy and cost them more in the process,” said ASA Director Alan Meadows, a soybean farmer.
Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University, told Reuters the report was “a devastating critique of what’s happened to America’s children.”
But she said, “to deal with the root causes of the conditions detailed here, this administration will have to take on Big Food, Big Pharma, Big Agriculture, Big Chemical, and get coal-burning plants to clean up their emissions. A lot of this is counter to the MAGA agenda, and the decimation of federal agencies can’t help.”
The report called for enhanced surveillance and safety research into drugs and childhood health outcomes and clinical studies comparing whole-food to processed-food diets in children.
The definition of ultra-processed food is hotly debated, while the report describes it as industrially manufactured products.
The report says that core products of so-called “Big Food”, which typically references companies such as Kraft Heinz KHC.O, Nestle NESN.S and PepsiCo PEP.O, are ultra-processed.
Kraft Heinz manufactures Heinz Ketchup and Kraft mac & cheese, Nestle produces frozen pizzas and dinners under the Stouffer’s and Lean Cuisine brands, while PepsiCo owns Frito-Lay, a salty snacks business.
The report also cites infant formula as an ultra-processed food that is concerning.
FARM LOBBY PRESSURE
Thursday’s report will be followed by policy prescriptions due in August. Trump signed an executive order in February establishing the commission whose members include Kennedy, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, other cabinet members and senior White House officials.
Before the report’s publication, farm lobby groups had warned that criticizing specific farm practices could impede collaboration on the administration’s health agenda and put food production at risk.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the lobby groups had strongly pressured the administration to not mention pesticides in the report.
EPA head Lee Zeldin said on a call with reporters that farmers are key partners in enacting the MAHA agenda and that any changes to pesticide regulations would need careful consideration.
Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski
05.22.25
Washington, DC – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, hosted the Secretary of the Interior in subcommittee to discuss the Department’s budget request. The Senator reinforced her appreciation for the administration’s approach to resource development in Alaska, while also addressing staffing concerns, public land sales, and other avenues of potential for the department.
Watch the Senator’s opening statement here.
Read the Senator’s full opening statement below.
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Senator Murkowski: Good to have you here to discuss the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Department of the Interior. I’m pleased to have the opportunity today to talk about the important work that the Department does, including its leading role in supporting America’s energy agenda, empowering Indian country and Tribal nations, providing recreational opportunities to tens of millions of Americans, and generating billions of dollars in economic output.
It’s been a real pleasure, I have appreciated the meetings that we’ve had, the conversations that we’ve had by phone, and it’s been great to meet the various Assistant Secretary nominees from the Department. I’ve enjoyed our conversations there. I’m impressed by their understanding of the issues that they focus on, and their commitment to public service.
You’re building out quite the team. It was great to be able to talk to Kate MacGregor. She has a little bit of history with the Department, and comes with a lot of knowledge and understanding, certainly on Alaska–related issues, so we were glad to get her confirmed and to work as well as some of the other nominees. As the Chairman of the Indian Affairs Committee, we’re anxious to have a nominee for the [Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs] as well.
So, I want to thank you, I want to thank President Trump for recognizing Alaska’s amazing natural resource potential. This was very significant in the day-one executive order: everything from the Ambler Road to the NPR-A, to non-wilderness Coastal Plain, Alaska
LNG. There’s been very swift, very early, and decisive action in this space. It’s welcome both here in Washington, DC, and certainly in my state. So, I’m looking forward to working with you to further facilitate the development of Alaska’s resources.
I know you are looking forward to going to Alaska in just a couple weeks. Hopefully, it’s going to be a great trip, lots of good information, good feedback, and good weather. I’m hopeful that Denali will be out in all of its majesty and splendor and you’ll be reminded why Alaskans prefer the Koyukon-Athabascan name, “Denali,” meaning ‘the Great One.’
The President and you have set out an ambitious agenda, particularly with respect to the focus on energy and economic development. I’m very supportive of this endeavor, and know that I want to be your partner in achieving so many of the goals.
Beyond resource development, the Department of the Interior can be an economic force for good in many different ways. One of the most important economic drivers that we see up in Alaska, aside from the resource end of things, within the Department is the National Parks System. The National Parks in the home states of the members on this subcommittee generate a collective $7.4 billion of economic output annually. That’s more than the gross domestic product of 40 different countries. But it’s not just the economic output that makes parks so important, it’s the experiences of traveling to parks, seeing the wildlife, having an adventure that creates a lifetime of memories. And, we’ve had discussions about some of your early years and the significance of that.
Back home in Alaska, we’ve already had about 150,000 people come through on cruise ships this year. That might not surprise other people, but this is early for us. We estimate a total of 1.65 million visitors for the tourism season – that’s about double the population of our state. So, when we see a skinny budget that proposes to cut $1.2 billion or 35% from the Park Service, it’s hard to square it with the claims that DOI is focused on fostering the American economy, again recognizing that our economy is more than just our natural resource development.
Another area of concern that I will address in my questions within the National Park Service budget proposal is the concept of turning over management of National Parks to the states. I’m trying to figure out exactly how this would work, and I’m kind of thinking it’s like me putting my kids in charge of the upkeep for the house that I own. In some instances, it might make good sense, but as a wholesale best practice I worry about how that might impact the parks or our people. So, should this concept be included in the full budget request, I’d hope that we have a really thorough conversation with you to better understand the justification for the proposal.
I am concerned about what the skinny budget proposes for the BIA and the BIE. Cutting nearly $1 billion from Indian Affairs would hurt the federal government’s ability to meet its trust responsibility to Native people. In some of our conversations, I’ve shared some of the areas where I think the Department has failed Indian Country, and this is in areas like probate, where we have an extraordinary backlog, public safety and justice, missing and murdered indigenous people, as well as the education of Native American children.
While I appreciate that the skinny budget alleges that proposed cuts would enable Tribes to focus on law enforcement, I’m not sure how reducing BIA law enforcement funding by $107 million is treating the program as a core priority of Tribes. I know, because I hear Tribes have been requesting more support for this program to address a serious lack of policing, so I worry that cuts of this magnitude can’t be made up for by directing Tribes to apply for grants at DOJ as the skinny budget suggests.
I want to end my opening comments this morning by talking about what I consider to be, and I know that you put equal priority to, and that’s the men and women of the Department. The people who actually make things happen.
We’ve talked about a lot of good ideas for using new systems, IT systems, artificial intelligence, how we can make the Department more efficient. These are good goals, worthy goals, and I hope to see that detailed more in the budget. But I think we know when we’re talking about management of our public lands, if you don’t have the necessary staff, whether out in the field or in the headquarters, all the investments that we want to make become less efficient.
When I think about the Executive Order as it relates specifically to Alaska, we’ve got some good things that we want to do up north when it comes to resource development, but scientific and ecological assessments that are provided by USGS are relied upon by not just federal land management agencies, but by the industry as well. USGS science helps avoid polar bear dens, identify permafrost, map caribou migration patterns. So, when we see cuts to USGS, but also BLM, BOEM, BSSE, and OSMRE, it causes me to wonder, are we going to be able to accomplish what we’re all seeking to accomplish together?
I think it’s important also that people have expertise and knowledge about the places that they serve. I had this conversation with folks in the Forest Service. You just can’t take somebody who maybe comes from Indianapolis, a good Forest Service person, but you put them out at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitors Center where their job is bear management and they don’t have a clue about bear management.
We want to make sure that we’re making good and smart decisions. I know you’re probably going to get a lot of questions today about staffing cuts, and how that is going to impact the operations of the Department not just here in Washington, but around the country. I do wish that the Acting Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management, and Budget, Mr. Hassan, [was] here today to answer some of these questions because he seems to be in charge of making a lot of the decisions about the staffing and the [reorganization]. I’m hoping that he is going to be in a position to be more responsive to my staff about some of the questions that we have raised. But ultimately, and you know, you’ve been a governor you know the buck stops with you. He can be responsible for certain things, but ultimately it is you that is accountable.
So, getting the answers to questions about the reorganizations, the impacts of RIFs, how the Department will operate National Parks, protect reserves, and implement the President’s energy agenda. Getting this channel of communication going back and forth in a good and a constructive way, I think is going to be important. But, my bottom line to you this morning is [that] I’m I pleased with your nomination, I’m excited that you are there at the Department.
I’m really excited about the shift that we’re seeing in Alaska where the Department has really gone from being a problem to being a partner in so many different areas. So, [I’m] looking forward to what we’re going to be able to do together.
Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, this week joined his colleagues in urging the Trump Administration to immediately reverse course on its plan to illegally and unilaterally terminate the ENERGY STAR program. In the letter, Heinrich highlighted the cost-saving benefits of the program, which would save the average American household $450 on utility bills each year simply by choosing ENERGY STAR certified products.
Since 1992, ENERGY STAR has reduced energy costs for American families and businesses by $500 billion, including $42 billion worth of savings in 2020 alone. For every federal dollar spent on ENERGY STAR, Americans have seen $350 in savings.
“For over three decades, the ENERGY STAR program has lowered Americans’ energy bills by informing consumers about energy efficient products. The program has enjoyed bipartisan support since its creation under authority of Section 103 of the Clean Air Act, most recently receiving $35.7 million in fiscal year 2025 appropriations,” wrote the senators. “Reporting has indicated, however, that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to eliminate ENERGY STAR without Congressional approval. Not only is the program protected under federal statute and thus illegal for the Administration to terminate unilaterally, but this decision also lacks basic economic sense. We write to urge you to immediately reverse course.”
The senators continued: “ENERGY STAR is the epitome of an effective public-private partnership. As the program’s administrators, EPA and the Department of Energy set qualifying energy efficiency standards for products. EPA also protects the integrity of the ENERGY STAR brand, ensuring it remains well-known, trusted, and indicative of a quality product. Appliance manufacturers then voluntarily display the ENERGY STAR label, notifying consumers that a product will reduce their energy consumption and lower utility bills. The program strengthens consumer choice by sharing critical product information.”
“Eliminating the ENERGY STAR program will not only raise energy costs for American families and businesses, but also inflict far-reaching economic harms, threatening industry jobs and the reliability of the grid at a time of growing demand. We again urge you to immediately reconsider eliminating this popular and effective Congressionally authorized program,” the senators concluded.
Administered by the EPA and Department of Energy, ENERGY STAR is a voluntary, market-based program that has saved consumers billions of dollars annually. The ENERGY STAR program has cumulatively reduced four billion metric tons of harmful emissions and currently supports more than 790,000 American jobs manufacturing and installing ENERGY STAR products.
ENERGY STAR is strongly supported by a wide array of manufacturers, homebuilders, housing organizations, building owners, small businesses, and other organizations. In April, the U.S. Real Estate Industry sent a letter to the Trump Administration expressing its strong support for the ENERGY STAR program. Additionally, the U.S. Green Buildings Council partnered with the Alliance to Save Energy in leading over 1,000 organizations in urging the Trump Administration to protect the program and maintain full funding and staffing levels.
The letter was authored by U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). In addition to Heinrich, it was signed by U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Angus King (I-Maine), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).
Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, issued the following statement after the Senate passed her joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to repeal California’s EV mandate through their “Advanced Clean Cars II” regulation that prohibits the sale of new gas-powered light-duty vehicles by 2035. Chairman Capito introduced the CRA last month, and pledged to end the EV mandate in December 2024.
“Today, the Senate voted to end California’s EV mandate and send my joint resolution of disapproval under the CRA to President Trump’s desk. The Biden administration and Congressional Democrats tried to block the will of the American people from this attempt by extreme unelected California and Biden EPA bureaucrats to ban gas-powered cars throughout the country, but Congress has now spoken and soundly rejected this rule. The impact of the California’s waiver would have been felt across the country, harming multiple sectors of our economy and costing hundreds of thousands of jobs in the process. I’m proud to have led this effort to protect American workers and consumers from this radical and drastic policy,” Chairman Capito said.
Yesterday, Chairman Capito spoke on the Senate floor outlining the importance of ending California’s EV mandate, and the Congressional Review Act process she led to repeal California’s waiver. The Chairman’s full floor speech is available here.
TIMELINE OF SENATOR CAPITO’S EFFORTS:
February 28, 2024: Senator Capito joined Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.-05), Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), and Rep. John Joyce (R-Pa.-13), in a bicameral letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan warning of the legal and economic consequences of granting a Clean Air Act waiver request from the state of California, which would enable the state to require 35 percent of automobile sales to be zero-emission vehicles in model year 2026, and finally, 100 percent of them by 2035.
December 18, 2024: Senator Capito pledged to work to reverse the Biden administration’s lame duck action of approving California’s waiver to implement its “Advanced Clean Cars II” regulation.
April 4, 2025: Senator Capito joined Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to introduce joint resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to repeal California’s EV waivers that prohibit the sale of new gas-powered light-duty vehicles by 2035 and set unrealistic and stringent requirements for heavy-duty trucks and heavy-duty diesel engines.
May 1, 2025: Senator Capito applauded the House of Representatives’ passage of joint resolutions of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to repeal California’s EV waivers.
May 21, 2025: Senator Capito spoke on the Senate floor outlining the importance of ending California’s EV mandate, and the Congressional Review Act process she led to repeal California’s waiver.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)
PLASKETT RELEASES STATEMENT ON HOUSE PASSAGE OF RECONCILIATION BILL
Washington, D.C., May 22, 2025
For Immediate Release Contact: Tionee Scotland
May 22, 2025 202-808-6129
PRESS RELEASE
PLASKETT RELEASES STATEMENT ON HOUSE PASSAGE OF RECONCILIATION BILL
Washington, DC – Early this morning, the House of Representatives passed the Republican reconciliation package (H.R. 1) with a vote of 215-214-1. Every Democrat in the House voted no.
The 2 Republicans who voted against the bill, Congressman Thomas Massie (KY-4) and Congressman Warren Davidson (OH-8), opposed the legislation as they wanted to see further federal funding cuts. They held out hoping for full dismantlement.
This bill includes the largest cuts to healthcare in American history. This loss of funding – nearly one trillion dollars – will eliminate healthcare coverage for at least 13.7 million Americans and make it harder for people to access vital medical services. In Medicaid alone, funding is cut by more than $730 billion, which will leave 7.6 million people uninsured. The Virgin Islands presently has 21,000 Medicaid enrollees presently, many of whom will be impacted through loss of service or disenrollment.
Medicare funding was cut by more than $500 billion and vital programs, including the Social Services Block Grant – which provides more than $4.2 million to the Virgin Islands – are eliminated until 2034. With 20,000 Medicare enrollees in the U.S. Virgin Islands, services are sure to be impacted. Federal funding for the Virgin Islands’ Meals on Wheels Program and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has also been eliminated until 2034.
Republicans’ reconciliation bill will make everyday life more expensive for Americans and removes programs which gave opportunities and support for a better life. It is estimated that more than 4 million students will see a reduction, or elimination, of their Pell Grants. The requirements for ‘full-time’ students are increased from 12 to 15 credits, which will decrease the maximum award for any student taking 12 credits by $1,479. In addition, students that are enrolled less than half-time will no longer receive Pell aid.
This bill harms efforts to lower energy costs, increase clean energy manufacturing and jobs, and eliminate economic assistance for communities on the frontline of the climate crisis. Unobligated funds will be rescinded from Inflation Reduction Act programs including Environmental Justice Block Grants, State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training Grants, and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. One of these programs already in place in the Virgin Islands is the Solar for All Program, which provided $62.5 million for homes and businesses.
Republicans voted to cut $35 billion in funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which includes children, working families, seniors, veterans and people with disabilities. This includes a $1 million cut to the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT program), which gives food assistance to children when they cannot rely on school lunches. This will impact the more than 15,000 Virgin Islands residents who rely upon SNAP for access to nutritious food for their wellbeing. The $35 billion cut includes a $1 billion decrease in funding for the Nutrition Assistance Program in Puerto Rico despite tremendous efforts and advocacy from their lobbyists, led by Republican Governor, Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon and Congressman Pablo Hernandez.
The reconciliation bill does not provide the increased rum cover over rate. Rum cover over is the rebate of federal excise taxes on distilled spirits produced in or imported into the rest of the United States from the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Despite Congresswoman Plaskett’s success in securing a Republican lead for the rum cover over legislation (H.R. 1378), Congressman Ron Estes (KS-4), and the support of 24 of her colleagues – 16 Republicans and 8 Democrats – the extension for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands was not included in the bill.
It is unfortunate that at the last minute while trying to find additional funds, the Republicans attempted to remove duty drawback – an export-promotion program that American alcohol and tobacco companies rely upon for a refund of duties paid at the time of import when similar goods are exported. That program saves the alcohol industry alone approximately $30 billion. Because of that concern, the full push of the rum industry was not present for rum cover over as the industry prioritized its efforts on safeguarding duty drawback which represented direct dollars to their industry. It’s also important to recognize that many discretionary provisions that made it into the bill were included to secure the necessary votes to advance the legislation – which ultimately was not the case with the provision for an increased rum cover over rate.
During the 18-hour markup in the Ways and Means Committee for the tax provisions of the reconciliation bill, Congresswoman Plaskett offered an amendment to increase the rate of the rum cover offer, to publicly demonstrate the bipartisan support for this provision. Both Democrats and Republicans emphasize the importance of the increased rum cover over rate. The Ways and Means Chairman, Jason Smith, publicly stated that he would work to advance this, and the Committee is expected to craft a bipartisan tax bill this summer. “I will continue to work with my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to secure the increased rum cover over rate of $13.25, both retroactively and with an extension, for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.”
While Congresswoman Plaskett cannot support the bill in its entirety, Plaskett’s legislation, the Restore Economic Vitality and Investment in the Virgin Islands (REVIVE VI) Act is included in the Republicans’ bill – one of only four Democrat Ways and Means provisions. REVIVE VI fixes an unintentional consequence of the Global Intangible Low Tax Income (GILTI) regime which, as a practical matter, inadvertently overrode the U.S. Virgin Islands’ economic development program that was previously authorized by Congress. This provision restores the Virgin Islands’ right to have an economic development program which will benefit our economy and workforce.
The U.S. Senate is anticipated to draft an entirely different bill that proposes fewer cuts to critical programs. Then, the Senate bill and House bill will likely be negotiated on a version that can be passed in both chambers of Congress and then be signed by the President.
Congresswoman Plaskett shared, “This bill is a wholesale betrayal of the working class and the future of America. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that the bottom 10%–working- and middle-class Americans will be 4% poorer in household wealth under this bill, with most of the benefits going to the top 10% of Americans. Not only does the bill make the largest healthcare cut in our nation’s history, it also makes the largest cuts to food assistance, energy projects and Pell grants. All to give additional money to the wealthiest Americans – an average of $278,000 per year, $762 per day, to the top 0.1% of Americans. This bill is cruel, shameful, unfair and unamerican.”
. Pillen Celebrates Approval of Gubernatorial Appointees
LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen is celebrating the approval of three gubernatorial appointees to two executive code agencies. Today, Jesse Bradley, Matt Manning and Bryan Waugh were each confirmed on unanimous votes by the Legislature to fill roles on the Department of Water, Energy and Environment (DWEE) and the Nebraska State Patrol.
Colonel Waugh is the 19th superintendent of law enforcement and public safety for the state. His duties with the Patrol will begin on June 2.
Positions filled by Jesse Bradley and Matt Manning were created with the merger of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Department of Environment and Energy (DEE) through LB317, introduced on the Governor’s behalf by Senator Tom Brandt. Bradley has been serving as interim director for both agencies. Manning will become the state’s new chief water officer.
WASHINGTON, DC (May 22, 2025) – In response to PepsiCo’sannouncementthat it will abandon its goal to deliver 20% of its beverages in reusable containers by 2030, Greenpeace USA Senior Oceans Campaigner Lisa Ramsden, said:“PepsiCo is the latest corporate polluter to abandon its reuse targets, a move that will undoubtedly force more plastic pollution into our environment and burden our bodies with more toxic microplastics. We clearly can’t trust corporations like PepsiCo to do what’s best for people and the planet, and this exemplifies why voluntary commitments by corporations have never been enough. We need a strong and binding Global Plastics Treaty that caps plastic production and ends single-use plastics.”
Plastics are not just a pollution problem; they are a public health crisis. Over 3,200 chemicals in plastics have been linked to a host of serious health conditions, including cancer, hormone disruption, reproductive problems, metabolic changes, obesity, premature births, neurological disorders, and learning disabilities. Toxic chemicals in plastic already cost Americans nearly $250 billion in healthcare expenses each year.
PepsiCo’s announcement comes as the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ report, released today, finds that Americans are exposed to these chemicals through many routes, including food and beverage packaging. Microplastics have been found in human breast milk, brain, lung, and heart tissue.
Contact: Tanya Brooks, Senior Communications Specialist at Greenpeace USA , [email protected]
Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.
Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) released the following statement applauding the news that Congressman Mark Amodei’s (R-NV-02) hastily-drafted and misguided proposal to sell off public lands in Nevada was removed from the House Republicans’ extreme budget reconciliation package that they passed this morning.
“It’s great news for Nevada that Congressman Amodei’s flawed, hastily-drafted proposal to sell our state’s public lands has been removed from the extreme House Republican budget that passed today. This proposal would have led to Nevada losing out on the opportunity for hundreds of millions of dollars in funding so that it could instead pay for more tax cuts for billionaires,” said Senator Rosen. “I’ll keep working in the Senate to make sure my Washoe and Pershing County Lands Bills, which have been endorsed by a wide range of stakeholders in Nevada, are passed.”
The flawed amendment proposed by Congressman Amodei would have sold off nearly 16,000 acres of public lands in Washoe County and hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands in Pershing County to pay for Congressional Republicans’ budget reconciliation proposal. It would have abandoned key provisions in the Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act, also known as the Washoe County Lands Bill, and directed funds from public land sales in Nevada to the U.S. Treasury, instead of keeping the funding in Nevada. It also ignored the balance struck in the Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act.
Senator Rosen’s Washoe County Lands Bill would:
Permanently protect a million acres of public lands, which Congressman Amodei cut in his proposal.
Promote sustainable growth and economic development by directing over 15,200 acres of public lands to be made eligible for sale, all of which must be assessed for its suitability for new affordable housing. An additional 33 acres are set aside to only be sold for affordable housing. Any land sold for affordable housing would have to be sold at less than fair market value.
Support local Tribal communities by expanding land held in trust by more than 8,400 acres for the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, 11,300 acres for the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, and over 1,000 acres for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, none of which was in the Amodei proposal.
Provide local governments over 3,700 acres for public purposes such as parks, water treatment facilities, fire stations, and schools, all of which was excluded from the Amodei proposal. Land is specifically conveyed to Washoe County, the City of Reno, the City of Sparks, the Incline Village General Improvement District, the Gerlach General Improvement District, the State of Nevada, the Truckee River Flood Management Authority, the Washoe County School District, and the University of Nevada, Reno.
Keep proceeds from land sales in Nevada for priorities like education and restoration around the Truckee River.
For years, Senator Rosen has worked closely with a wide range of stakeholders across Washoe County to develop this comprehensive legislation. In 2023, she unveiled a working draft of the bill and collected feedback from hundreds of Nevadans during a public comment period, which she then incorporated into this legislation, which was previously introduced last year with the support of local government officials, conservation advocates, and business leaders.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
“We Will Not Forget:” Padilla Sends Strong Warning as Republicans Go Nuclear to Revoke California Clean Air Waivers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, blasted Republicans for their shortsighted revocation of California’s clean air waivers by overruling the nonpartisan Senate Parliamentarian’s decision and going nuclear on the Senate rulebook. Republicans defied their own promises and broke 30 years of precedent by moving forward with their cynical repeal of California’s Clean Air Act waivers with a 50-vote threshold under the Congressional Review Act (CRA), bypassing the filibuster and its 60-vote requirement by overruling the Senate Parliamentarian.
Over the last few weeks, Padilla has spoken on the Senate floor repeatedly to sound the alarm on Senate Republicans’ revocations of these critical waivers.
“Over the last 24 hours, Trump and radical Republicans have gone nuclear on the Senate rulebook, stopping at nothing to attack California for protecting the health of my constituents, for having the audacity to lead the clean energy economy. California became the fourth-largest economy in the world by leaning in to the clean energy transition, and we’ve proved that what’s good for the planet and our air is good for business. By denying California the ability to control our own toxic air and greenhouse gas emissions, Republicans are threatening the public health, environment, and economy for millions of my constituents and people around the country. And let me be clear: California has not and cannot force our emission standards on any other state in the nation.
“It’s not just why Republicans are undermining California’s climate leadership. It’s how they did it. Republicans are effectively saying that whenever the Parliamentarian rules against them, they can simply disregard her to bypass the filibuster and pass legislation on a simple majority vote. So no, this isn’t some one-off change to the rules — this is throwing out the rulebook entirely — all to please Donald Trump and the Big Oil lobby. If they can ignore the Parliamentarian here, then why not on an upcoming tax bill, or to gut health care, or to revoke lifesaving vaccine approvals?
“Republicans have crossed the red line and gone nuclear. As the saying goes, ‘what goes around comes around.’ And it won’t be long before Democrats are back in the driver’s seat again. When that happens, all bets will be off. Every agency action that Democrats don’t like — whether it’s a rule or not — will be fair game, from mining permits and fossil fuel projects to foreign affairs and tax policies.
“We will not forget what happened here. History won’t forget. And California will not forget.”
Senator Padilla has been a leading voice in pushing back against Republican attacks on California’s Clean Air Act waivers. Earlier this week, Padilla placed a hold on the four pending Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) nominees until Republicans stop their reckless attempts to overturn California’s clean air waivers. Padilla, along with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) also led Democratic Ranking Members in strongly warning Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) of the dangerous and irreparable consequences if Senate Republicans overrule the Senate Parliamentarian’s decision on California’s waivers.
Last month, Padilla, Whitehouse, and Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) welcomed the Senate Parliamentarian’s decision that the waivers are not subject to the CRA. Padilla also joined Whitehouse and Schiff in blasting Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s weaponization of the EPA after the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) similar finding. Padilla and Schiff previously slammed the Trump Administration’s intent to roll back dozens of the EPA’s regulations that protect California’s air and water.
Throughout the past several weeks, Padilla has made clear that these reckless revocations of California’s clean air waivers will lead to disastrous public health, environmental, and economic impacts for millions of Californians and people across the country. Inaction against the climate crisis costs Americans an average of $2,500 a year in medical bills and over $820 billion in total, according to estimates by the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Padilla has consistently stressed the extreme consequences of Republicans ignoring the Parliamentarian, effectively blowing up the filibuster. While he and other Democrats supported lowering the threshold to pass a bill in 2022, Republicans defended the filibuster relentlessly — a dramatic contrast from their revocation of California’s waivers under a simple majority vote.
Now that they’ve taken the nuclear option, the Trump Administration could make a series of dangerous moves in bogging down Congress with reviews from the past 30 years on items including vaccine approvals, broadcast licenses, merger approvals, and more, enabling President Trump’s political retribution. Padilla has warned multiple times that a future Democratic administration could come after Republican oil and gas priorities, including mining permits, fossil fuel projects, foreign policy, tax policies, and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) disruptions.
In case you missed it, Senators Schumer, Whitehouse, Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Schiff, and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) also all came out strongly against Republicans’ reckless effort and warned of the consequences of setting this new precedent.
Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today issued the following statement after voting to overturn the Biden administration’s approval of California’s Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulation, which mandates 100% electric vehicle (EV) sales by 2035 and effectively bans traditional gas-powered vehicles.
“Forcing anybody buying a new car to buy an electric vehicle by 2035 is stupid. Nobody wants government telling them what car to drive. This rule is dead—good riddance,” said Dr. Cassidy.
In the final days of the Biden-Harris administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved California’s request to mandate zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035, setting a national precedent. Under the Clean Air Act, California’s EV mandate has been adopted by over a dozen states, affecting more than 30% of the national auto market.
In March, Cassidy introduced the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act to reverse the Biden administration’s aggressive emissions standards and protect consumers’ rights to affordable, reliable vehicles. Additionally, Cassidy co-sponsored the Eliminating Lavish Incentives to Electric (ELITE) Vehicles Act to repeal costly federal subsidies for electric vehicles and related infrastructure. He also introduced legislation under the Congressional Review Act to block other Biden administration EV mandates imposed on American families last year.
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington – U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), and Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) today reintroduced the Innovative Feed Enhancement and Economic Development (FEED) Act – bipartisan legislation that would establish a pathway at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for novel feed additives and increase livestock efficiency and production.
“The agricultural industry sets the gold standard when it comes to livestock production,” Senator Marshall said. “Back home, producers are committed to making more with less and leaving the world safer, cleaner, and healthier than they found it. However, outdated regulations are holding back our feed industry and forcing innovations to happen overseas instead of here in America. I’m proud to work with Senators Moran, Baldwin, and Bennet to develop a bipartisan solution that will increase our ranchers’ access to the products they need and support rural America.”
“This legislation will help bolster the animal feed industry and make certain producers in Kansas and across the country continue to have access to feed additives that support animal nutrition,” Senator Moran said. “By expanding research and reducing bureaucratic hurdles at the FDA, more of these products will be available to farmers, encouraging a stronger food supply chain.”
“Wisconsin farmers and ranchers should have the tools they need to grow their businesses and compete on the world stage. Right now, we know there are additives farmers could be using to reduce their environmental impact and provide nutritive benefits to their livestock, but bureaucratic red tape is holding them back,” Senator Baldwin said. “I’m proud to work with Republicans and Democrats to break down barriers for our farmers, help them access these innovative products, and support our rural economies.”
“While producers in Europe and South America are using innovative feed additives to stay competitive, bureaucratic red tape has left America’s cattlemen and dairy farmers without any options. We need to create a level playing field for Colorado’s livestock industry by giving them every available tool to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the sustainability of their farms and ranches, while ensuring health and safety,” Senator Bennet said.
Joining Senators Marshall, Moran, Baldwin, and Bennet are Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Angus King (I-Maine), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota).
“Iowa farmers and ranchers feed the world with the best products available. Now, it’s time for Congress to remove bureaucratic hurdles at the FDA so products can safely get to market faster and producers can access more tools. Our bill will bolster our food supply chain and ensure America remains globally competitive in animal feed products,” Senator Grassley said.
“Everyone benefits when healthy livestock produce safe, high-quality meat and dairy products – and that begins with how they eat,” Senator King said. “Unfortunately, manufacturers of supplemental additives to livestock feed face needless, burdensome hurdles and bureaucratic red tape which prevents farmers and ranchers from getting their hands on new, innovative products. The bipartisan Innovative FEED Act will expedite the period between the early stages of development and regulatory approval – creating a level playing ground for the agricultural industry and ensuring healthier, sustainable options for consumers.”
The legislation is endorsed by the American Feed Industry Association, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, the National Milk Producers Federation, the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA), Environmental Defense Fund, North American Renderers Association, the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA).
“The animal food industry envisions a healthier world for both people and animals through advanced animal food solutions, but the FDA’s outdated review system has not kept up with the pace of innovation,” said Constance Cullman, President and CEO of American Feed Industry Association. “Thanks to Senator Marshall’s continued leadership, Congress now has the ability to pursue a legislative fix that would give the FDA the tools it needs to more appropriately review new animal food ingredients with non-nutritive benefits. The AFIA thanks Senators Marshall, Baldwin, Moran, Bennett, King, and Grassley for introducing the Innovative FEED Act.”
“Supporting the Innovative Feed Enhancement and Economic Development Act is a critical step toward empowering American farmers with the tools they need to drive innovation in agriculture,” said Chuck Conner, President and CEO of National Council of Farmer Cooperatives. “By modernizing the regulatory process, this legislation paves the way for the introduction of advanced feed technologies that can improve livestock production, reduce environmental impact, and enhance economic opportunities for farmers across the country.”
“We commend Sens. Roger Marshall, Tammy Baldwin, Jerry Moran, and Michael Bennet for their bipartisan Innovative FEED Act to modernize the Food and Drug Administration’s regulatory framework for approving animal feed ingredients. U.S. dairy farmers benefit from access to safe and effective feed additives as they continue to innovate on multiple fronts,” said Gregg Doud, president and CEO, National Milk Producers Federation. “The bipartisan initiative led by Sens. Marshall, Baldwin, Moran, and Bennet will help them do just that, and we look forward to working with them to enact this bill into law.”
“We commend Senator Marshall and his colleagues for recognizing the importance of modernizing the regulatory framework for animal feed ingredients,” said NGFA President and CEO Mike Seyfert. “This bipartisan legislation demonstrates continued momentum for commonsense reform that promotes innovation, supports U.S. agricultural competitiveness, and protects food safety. The Senate’s engagement brings us one step closer to aligning U.S. policy with other global competitors who have already modernized their systems. NGFA urges Congress to act swiftly and pass this critical legislation.”
“The North American Renderers Association (NARA) strongly supports the Innovative Feed Enhancement and Economic Development (Innovative FEED) Act,” said Kent Swisher, President and CEO, North American Renderers Association. “This commonsense, bipartisan legislation is critical to advancing innovation and sustainability in animal agriculture and feed production. NARA thanks the Senators Marshall, Moran, Bennet, and Baldwin for leading legislation that will allow U.S. renderers and feed manufacturers to more rapidly adopt new technologies that enhance animal welfare, improve feed efficiency, and reduce the environmental footprint of animal agriculture.”
“IDFA members and dairy farmers need innovative, science-backed tools that help lower methane emissions in the dairy supply chain,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). “We support the Innovative Feed Enhancement and Economic Development Act because it will create an appropriate regulatory pathway for some of these promising enteric methane technologies, which provide environmental benefits and new market opportunities for farmers, and we thank Senator Marshall, R-KS, Senator Baldwin, D-WI, Senator Moran, R-KS, and Senator Bennet, D-CO, for this bipartisan effort.”
“NASDA supports the Innovative FEED Act’s goals to promote voluntary adoption of innovative new tools producers can use to increase the efficiency of their livestock operations,” said NASDA CEO Ted McKinney. “Most state departments of agriculture inspect and regulate animal feed ingredients, which will include the new products covered under this legislation. This bipartisan legislation is important and timely to ensure that producers, regulators, and the feed industry can collaborate to increase innovation amidst a competitive market in a way that is safe for animals, producers, and consumers.”
The full text of the legislation can be found here.
Background:
American livestock and dairy producers are essential to American communities and are among the top exporters in the global market. Part of what makes these industries the best in the world is their commitment to innovation and the utilization of the latest technologies to improve production while also reducing their environmental footprint.
As the original conservationists, farmers, and ranchers steward the land and rely on feed additives to improve the quality and efficiency of meat and dairy. However, innovation to meet these growing demands has stalled due to outdated, one-size-fits-all federal policies.
Over the years, agricultural stakeholders have called for the development and marketing of safe and effective feed additives that can be used in animal food to improve livestock production. Global competitors have been working to meet this demand. Europe, Asia, and South America have updated their policies to have feed products on the market that demonstrate increased efficiency in meat production and byproduct and waste reduction.
The Innovative FEED Act would:
Amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, establishing a new category in the animal food additive petition process to cover ingredients that address animal health, food safety, or environmental benefits in an animal’s diet.
Help American livestock producers cut regulatory red tape while adding value to their products and remaining competitive on a global scale.
Ensures farmers are rewarded for participating in voluntary, producer-led sustainability efforts, and market their products to companies and nations that have set climate reduction goals.
Modernize the approval process by establishing a new pathway for manufacturers to receive approval for feed additives that improve efficiency in meat and dairy production while also reducing byproducts.
Establish strict guardrails to ensure only qualifying products are eligible for this pathway while also ensuring products are safe to use.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Senator Markey joined by Democratic Leader Schumer, Ranking Member Wyden, and climate advocates
Washington (May 22, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-chair of the Senate Climate Change Task Force, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined by climate advocacy groups, today hosted a press conference to blast Republicans’ all-out assault on efforts to combat the climate crisis, including unprecedented actions to revoke the California Clean Air Act waivers and repeal clean energy tax credits included in the Inflation Reduction Act.
“The Trump administration has made one thing painfully clear: They are putting Oil Above All—above the law, above the economy, and above the health and wallets of working families. The repeal of the Clean Air Act waivers is yet another historic example of the lawlessness of today’s Republican party; no rule, no norm, no standard is safe if it stands between them and what their Big Oil donors want. They’re breaking precedent, breaking Senate process, and breaking public trust. As a result, we will see more asthma. More heart disease. More early deaths. More cancer. That will be the Trump and Republican legacy,” said Senator Markey. “By repealing clean energy and environmental protection funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, Republicans are attacking clean air and clean energy with their tax bill. Republicans are seeking to destroy the tools and programs which are creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, easing costs for working families, and addressing air pollution in our communities. These attacks are dangerous and have far-reaching consequences for all.”
“When it comes to clean energy and the Republican agenda, I don’t believe we’ve seen this kind of economic self-sabotage in modern American times. Republicans are raising Americans’ electrical bills, destroying thousands of good-paying jobs, and sacrificing our energy security all to pay for handouts to big corporations and ultra-wealthy Trump donors. Back in the campaign, Trump told a room full of oil and gas executives that he’d let them control the agenda if they helped put him back in the White House, and clearly, he’s delivering on that horribly corrupt promise,” said Ranking Member Wyden.
“Congressional Republicans led a Big Oil-backed effort to circumvent their own rules in order to block California, and other states, from having stronger clean air standards for cars and trucks. This should not be a political or partisan issue, it’s about states’ ability to set standards – like the original tailpipe pollution limits set by Ronald Reagan – that deliver cleaner air for their citizens, said League of Conservation Voters’ Vice President of Federal Policy Matthew Davis. “At the same time, House Republicans have just passed their billionaire tax scam, the most anti-environmental bill in our nation’s history that will drive up families’ energy costs by hundreds of dollars per year. Right now, the Senate must stand up against the anti-environmental billionaire tax scam to protect our clean air and water, and cost-saving, jobs-creating clean energy.”
“Today Congress has decided to fundamentally deny states their rights to reduce pollution and protect public health. In environmental justice communities, people of color and lower income face the greatest rates of asthma and cancer. This action enables a continued unjust assault on overburdened communities choking on diesel fumes. A clean transportation sector benefits us all and we will continue to fight for one that’s healthier, cheaper, and accessible to everyone,” said Yosef Robele, Federal Policy Manager, WE ACT for Environmental Justice.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
Padilla, Schiff, Murray, Cantwell Call Out Trump’s Outrageous, Partisan Decision to Slash Flood Protection Funding for Blue States
Army Corps work plan zeroes out hundreds of millions of dollars for key California and Washington waterway construction projects, among others — steering hundreds of millions to red states
WATCH: Padilla, Schiff blast the gutting of critical California water infrastructure funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.), members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, joined the Washington state Senate delegation for a press conference calling out President Trump’s outrageous, overtly political decision to zero out critical funding for Army Corps of Engineers construction projects in blue states like California and Washington while steering hundreds of millions more to red states.
Senators Padilla, Schiff, Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) criticized the Army Corps’ plan released late last week that announced their intention to zero out all Army Corps construction funding for California ($126 million), as well as cut $500 million for the Howard Hanson Dam in Washington state. This funding was included in the Corps’ Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget request, in the Senate’s bipartisan draft FY 2025 funding bill, and even in House Republicans’ draft FY 2025 funding bill. But the Trump Administration — using the new discretion afforded by the yearlong continuing resolution House Republicans drafted that was signed into law — ignored the draft bills and instead apportioned funding on a brazenly political basis.
The four California flood control projects losing Army Corps funding include the American River Common Features Levee Improvement Project, the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project, the Lower San Joaquin River Project, and the West Sacramento Project. These projects will protect some of the most at-risk areas in the nation, including Sacramento County, which the Corps considers the most at-risk region for catastrophic flooding in the United States.
“When anyone takes the oath of office, even Donald Trump as President of the United States, you become the president for all Americans — not just for red states or for blue states, but for every state and every community equally,” said Senator Padilla. “Yet, since the minute Donald Trump returned to office, he’s set out to politicize the office he holds, now trying to take hundreds of millions of dollars in flood prevention funding away from the states that happened to not vote for him and redirect them to projects in states that supported his election. It’s absolutely wrong. In California, that means cutting every last dollar of funding that was allocated for certain flood control projects. For a president so obsessed with fighting waste, fraud, and abuse, I know where he can find it. He just has to look in the mirror. Communities up and down California — including farmers and farm workers in the Central Valley and Pajaro — will now be at a higher risk of flooding because Donald Trump’s playing politics with federal funding.”
“Natural disasters don’t discriminate based on whether a state is red or blue, and the administration and Congress shouldn’t either when it comes to protecting communities from natural disasters. This puts us on a very dangerous path, a path where anything can be on the chopping block for a partisan reason. Today, it’s funding for these projects. Tomorrow, it could be another form of funding meant to save lives. There will be a domino effect of threats aimed at blue states. When you’re elected to be president of the United States. You’re not a half president. You’re not president for only half of the country, not if you do the job right. These baseless attacks threaten millions of people from both parties whose lives are endangered by floods,” said Senator Schiff.
Overall, the Army Corps’ plans would steer roughly $258 million more in construction funding to red states while ripping away roughly $437 million in construction funding for blue states, relative to the Corps’ FY 2025 request, which was fully funded in the draft FY 2025 bills that were produced on a bipartisan basis in the Senate and by Republicans in the House. These requests have historically been fully funded. Trump’s work plan steers two thirds of all Army Corps construction funding to red states while the budget request and House and Senate bills would have split that funding evenly to red and blue states.
Padilla and Schiff voted against the continuing resolution earlier this year, which cut the Army Corps’ construction account by 44 percent.
Senator Padilla has fought tirelessly for California communities devastated by atmospheric river flooding. Last spring, he urged the Biden Administration to prioritize sustained federal investment in the Pajaro River Flood Risk Management Project to protect disadvantaged communities along the central coast of California. In 2023, he met with families, small business owners, and farmers in Watsonville and Pajaro impacted by extreme storms after he and Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.-18) successfully led the California Congressional delegation in urging the Biden Administration to approve a Major Disaster Declaration.
Additionally, Padilla successfully pushed for the inclusion of a study on the impact of extreme weather on Army Corps dams and levees in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024.
Video of Senator Padilla’s full remarks is available here, and Senator Schiff’s full remarks can be viewed here.
